The Detroit Pistons hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night in a game that featured more than just basketball drama.
In the third quarter, with the Pistons clinging to a slim 65-64 lead, a power surge triggered an electrical malfunction, sending the arena’s overhead horn into an unrelenting blare. The deafening buzzer refused to quit, halting play for nearly 13 minutes as staff scrambled to silence the rogue noise.
Players returned to the benches, then warmed up on the court while arena workers battled the short-circuit atop the giant scoreboard.
Eventually, they cut power to the board, muting the horn to a roaring cheer and standing ovation from the relieved crowd.
Play resumed using a manual air horn for timeouts, though the scoreboard flickered back on soon after.
Adding to the chaos, a separate delay occurred when Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder pointed out a profane fan, leading to an ejection.
Despite the interruptions, the Pistons prevailed in overtime, 122-119, proving they could handle both opponents and technical difficulties.
